The case revolves around Amish farmer Vernon Hershberger of Loganville. He was charged a year ago with selling raw milk without a license.

The Baraboo News Republic reported a reporter from The Capital Times, a reporter from WISC-TV and WMTV-TV visited Hershberger's farm and reported he was selling milk without a license.

State Justice Department attorneys asked Sauk County Circuit Judge Guy Reynolds to authorize subpoenas for the reporters, but Reynolds refused on Thursday citing Wisconsin's reporter shield law. Those statutes allow subpoenas of journalists only if the information sought isn't available from any other source.

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